Arsenal left Villa Park with all three points after a 1-0 win over Aston Villa, a result that will satisfy Mikel Arteta but hardly flatter his side. The visitors found a way through in a match that offered little in the way of clear chances, the kind of game that separates title challengers from the rest.
Villa rarely threatened, and while the scoreline suggests a close contest, Arsenal controlled the tempo without ever looking comfortable. One goal was enough, and in a long campaign, that discipline matters.
Roma's emphatic afternoon
In Italy, AS Roma dismantled Lecce with a 4-0 away win that never looked in doubt. The Romans were clinical, and Lecce had no answer. It was a statement performance, the sort that builds momentum early in a league season.
Atalanta also took three points, beating Bologna 1-0 in a far tighter affair. A single goal separated the sides, but La Dea held firm to claim the win.
Barcelona cruise, Osasuna edge tight one
FC Barcelona delivered the day's highest-scoring display, thrashing Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at home. Rayo briefly made it competitive, but Barcelona's firepower told in the end. Osasuna, meanwhile, ground out a 1-0 victory over Getafe, the kind of result that keeps mid-table sides ticking over.
Across the Atlantic, Bahia edged a five-goal thriller against Internacional in the Brasileirão, winning 3-2 in a match that swung both ways before the hosts secured the points.